Our Manchester
All-Age Disability Strategy
Thank you to all the people from across Manchester who gave their
stories, ideas, experiences, art, acting, time and effort to make this
presentation!
Learning objectives
To introduce you to Manchester’s All-Age Disability Strategy
To explain the ‘Social Model of Disability’
To make you think about how inclusive Manchester is and
potential barriers that some people may face
To get you to think of ideas for what could be changed in
Manchester to make the city more accessible for everybody
Manchester’s
All-Age Disability Strategy
Manchester is introducing a new strategy called the:
All-Age Disability Strategy
A strategy is:
A plan created to achieve a long-term goal
The All-Age Disability Strategy is:
Manchester’s plan to make the city a better more inclusive place for
disabled people to live, work, visit and enjoy.
Who is it for?
The plan is for everyone! All people, businesses, schools, colleges and
services in Manchester.
To make a difference to the lives of disabled people in Manchester
everybody needs to be involved!
Models of Disability
with thanks to Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People for
letting us use their explanation and diagrams
Medical Model of Disability
Social Model of Disability
This model says that people are disabled
because they have impairments and so try to ‘fix’
them.
The social model says that people who have
impairments are disabled people because they
face barriers, not as many opportunities and aren’t
always accepted by other people.
Operation to
‘fix’
Can’t hear
speak
Can’t see
the leaflet
Person
with a
disability
Trying to
make
‘normal’
We don’t like this
way of thinking!!!
Inaccessible
environment
Not enough
sign
language
interpreters
Disabled
Person
Can’t get on
the bus
Can’t get up
the steps
Information
not given to
people in a
way they can
understand
Transport
not
accessible
No lift
We should help
everyone to be
included!
Not
accepting
people
Social Model of Disability
The Equality Act 2010
The social model of disability says that:
• 
People who have an impairment(s) are
disabled by society
• 
That there are both physical and
attitudinal barriers in the way that stop
some from living their lives how they
might want to
• 
And that it is society that needs to
change – not the disabled person!
So we need to look at how accessible
Manchester is and think about what needs
to change to make the city more inclusive
An impairment can be
physical or mental and
has a long term /
substantial impact on
a person’s life
Not all impairments
can be seen!
e.g. mental health,
dyslexia and autism
Sam’s Story
Please watch this video: https://youtu.be/Ntoek3nMGmI
It is the story of a young man called Sam, he wrote his story down for us to use to help
educate other people.
It has been acted out and filmed by students from Melland High School
We asked lots of disabled young people and people with special educational needs
about themselves and what they think of Manchester. This is what they told us:
I’m me, male, 15, mate, brother, son,
cousin, nephew, grandson, teenager,
gay
I’m disabled and
have epilepsy
but I don’t want
to talk about it
My name is…
I like football
and boxing
When people introduce
themselves I say: I’m just a
normal guy – not a disabled
guy
Our Manchester:
Who we are
I don’t identify
as disabled, I’m
me!
I’m diagnosed with ADHD,
anorexia, depression,
dyslexia
I have a physical
disability and
live with my
parents in
Manchester
I’m 16, male, Muslim, half
British half Pakistani, son,
nephew
I’m disabled and
proud of it, it’s
who I am
I’m a sister and a
daughter. I like doing
sports and cooking
and I’m a great
singer
We are all individuals and all different!
Ask us about ourselves and how to help us – don’t treat us all the same!
We asked lots of disabled young people and people with special educational needs
about themselves and what they think of Manchester. This is what they told us:
People getting on with each other
My college because I want
to go to University
Chance to do
my own hobbies
My friends and
family
Stopping
people being
homeless
Being able
to make
my own
choices
I need to
have a
routine
People respecting
each other
Our Manchester:
What is important
to us
Manchester – all the
places and the stuff
going on
Being able to
express myself
Being safe
Making friends
School and my
teachers
Getting a paid job I want
Relationships – getting a
girlfriend / boyfriend
Stopping
street
violence
People being helpful
We asked lots of disabled young people and people with special educational needs
about themselves and what they think of Manchester. This is what they told us:
Talk to me - not
someone helping me
Be helpful
Extra support to
achieve
qualifications
People respecting
each other
Support to learn
how to do a job
Our Manchester:
How to
support us
Help with
finding
somewhere to
live
independently
Tell me what help
is available
Don’t
speak in
jargon
Independent travel
training / better support
travelling
Explain
things to me
slowly
Learn British
Sign Language
Let me answer
Think before you
speak
Respect our differences
Ask us what we need!
Listen to
me
By caring about
people
It would be
better if places
were less
crowded
Help going out at night
Competition
We want to make Manchester even more inclusive for everybody but to do this we need your
help
1.  We want you to think about a barrier (or more than one barrier) that a disabled person
may face in Manchester
2.  Now, come up with some ideas for how this barrier could be overcome!
•  They can be big or small ideas – we just want to hear them! You can choose how to
present your ideas to us – take a photo/video/write them down/draw a picture… it’s
up to you!
3.  Send your ideas to us at: [email protected]
Or post to: Engagement team,
Manchester City Council,
Westwood Street Office,
Moss Side
Manchester,
M14 4PH
•  Please include your name, the school/college and an email address or phone number
•  Send us your ideas by Friday
12 May 2017
We will be inviting the people who’ve come up with the best ideas to come and present them
in person to the All-Age Disability Strategy Partnership Board at the Town Hall.
Some ideas to get you started!
Barriers
Solutions
Bad/unhelpful attitudes
Promoting inclusion in schools and training people
better about how to support disabled young people
Things in the way on the pavements can stop
wheelchairs users from getting past
(like bins out on the roads and parked cars)
Putting bins in people drives or by walls not in the
middle of the pavements and stop cars from parking
across the pavement
The size / equipment in some
classrooms / leisure facilities
Asking a disabled person when designing buildings
how to make them accessible
People feeling isolated and alone
Having more social groups and making them easy to
access We need you!
Would you like to be involved in helping put the All Age Disability Strategy into action?
We want to invite you to come and tell us what the main issues / barriers are for young
disabled people and people with special educational needs in Manchester.
Who is it for:
Anyone up to the age of 25 (you may identify as disabled / have a
special educational need or just want to contribute)
When:
Where:
Time:
Tuesday 28 March 2017
Town Hall, Manchester
5pm – 7pm
To book a place please email: [email protected] and tell us how we
can support you to be involved.
If that isn’t for you but you would like to get more involved in giving your say in Manchester
then why not join Manchester Youth Council.
You can find out more information at: www.manchesteryouthcouncil.co.uk
Thank you